should have paid attention (a rise of the guardians fanfic)
by lovelypurple1999
Summary: its 2 years after pitches fall, and Jack comes by norths workshop to just say hi but gets caught up in an argument that takes a bad turn. what will happen when bunny finds out something Jack has kept a secret for 300 years?
1. Chapter 1

**A.N.~OMG, I have a beta now! and she helped me re-write this BE-AWESOME chapter, there's isn't any change to the story its just written better. so I'm gonna leave this A.N. by saying thanks to me beta insane panda! (seriously guys, she is freaking awesome!)~**

**NOTE: ****I DO NOT OWN RISE OF THE GUARDIANS OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS **

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Jack came in through the window North had left open for him, and made his way towards North's office.

Usually, the workshop was a chaotic mess of yetis running back and forth, elves scurrying between their feet, and wonder.

But today felt different, mixed in with the regular chaos, was different kind of atmosphere. It felt almost ominous.

Jack walked through the familiar halls and stood outside the office when he heard yelling. However, unlike North's Russian accent, it had an Australian twang.

"The kangaroo's here; great." Jack grumbled to himself before opening the wide doors, and saw why Bunny was so hopping mad and yelling: he was covered from head to toe in red and green paint, and sparkles.

Jack immediately fell to the ground in hysterics.

"Oi! What are you laughing at, Frostbite?" Bunny growled at Jack.

"Y-you." Jack hiccupped after he (sort of) got his laughter under control.

"Oh, okay. I thought you were just remembering what you represent. My bad." Bunny said with a smirk.

"And what exactly does that mean, Kangaroo?" Jack asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, you know. Just that 'fun' ain't a real thing to protect."

"Hey! And hope is?!" Jack yelled. He couldn't believe what Bunny had said! A little bit of laughter doesn't mean Bunnymund could question his right to be a Guardian!

"Bunny! Jack! Stop this!" North bellowed, unhappy with the nasty turn in the conversation.

"You're just a mistake, you know? I would rather have the Groundhog instead of you. At least he supports Spring and life. What about you? You are winter: bitter cold and death."

The whole room was silent as Bunny's hurtful words struck a blow at Jack's feelings. Even Bunny looked appalled at his rash words. His ears drooped and opened his mouth to apologize.

"Look, mate. I'm sor-"

"Well, why didn't you say that before?" Jack interrupted, tears welling up in his eyes. He ran out of North's office and flew away before Bunny could finish his apology.

"Bunny! Vhat vas dat?! Jack did nothing to you!" North shouted at Bunny.

"I-I know I was just so mad an'... Ugh, I gotta go find 'im." Bunny said agitatedly before hopping out of North's office and into the workshop.

Bunny thought he that should check Jack's lake in Burgess first, since the kid always seems to be hanging around there. He tapped his foot on the ground twice and hopped down the hole.

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_FINÉ _


	2. Chapter 2

um, hehe. yeah... this is the actual 2nd chapter, sorry about not posting it sooner guys/gals. well, anyway...TO THE STORY!

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Bunnymund hopped out from the hole expecting freezing cold weather, since it was supposed to be winter, but was surprised when he actually felt warm.

He was about to leave, because Jack obviously wasn't here. When suddenly, his ears twitched at the sound of a sob.

He slowly hopped towards the direction of the noise and went through a rather dense forest. With every hop, the sound of sobs became louder and clearer. When he approached the lake Jack frequented, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach. As he crept silently to a tree, he saw the very person he was searching for: Jack. He was in the middle of the lake on a single patch of ice with his knees drawn up to his chest, and he was... crying.

Bunny was taken aback; he'd never seen the boy cry before. He had a knot in his stomach because he knew this was his fault. He was about to get Jack's attention, when his sensitive hearing picked up lyrics in between Jack's softening sobs.

Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck.

Some nights, I call it a draw.

Some nights, I wish my lips could build a castle.

Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off.

But I still wake up, I still see your ghost.

Oh Lord, I still don't know what I stand for, oh.

What do I stand for?

What do I stand for?

Most nights, I don't know anymore. Oh woah, oh woah, oh woah oh oh.

Oh woah, oh woah, oh woah oh oh.

Bunny couldn't stand it any longer. He couldn't stand hearing such sadness from the usually happy-go-lucky spirit.

"Hey Jack." He called out while emerging from his post, scaring the winter sprite off his small patch of ice and into the water.

Bunny waited a moment for Jack to come out of the water, but he never did.

"Jack?"

Bunny called with trepidation, surveying the water for any movement, but only saw bubbles.

"JACK!"

Bunny shouted before plunging into the slightly cold waters. He squinted through the dark waters, searching frantically for the white-haired spirit. He swam towards the patch of ice Jack had previously occupied, before quickly surfacing for air and diving back into the water. Gritting his teeth, he dived deeper and saw Jack's prone form sinking slowly but surely to the bottom of the lake. He shot towards Jack's unconscious form, pulling him back to land.

"Come on, Jack. Wake up." Bunny murmured while performing CPR.

"Come on, Jacky!" Bunny cried out as fear and panic crept through his veins like ice.

Sapphire eyes snapped opened, wild with unadulterated panic, before calming down when he saw a certain Pooka wavering above him. Jack took a breath of air and started coughing.

Bunny let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding, and gently patted Jack's back.

"Jack, why didn't you mention that you couldn't swim? And why is your lake melted?" Bunny asked concernedly.

"F-first of all, no one ever cared to know. And second, w-well, whenever I'm sad or depressed I lose some of my powers. Remember global warming? Yeah, well. It was a pretty bad time for me." Jack said in between coughs, and gasps for air.

'Depression?' Bunny thought to himself. This was shaping up to be worse than he thought.

"Jack, what do you mean 'depressed'?" He asked with a lump in his throat.

"U-um..." Jack stuttered before cursing his idiocy.

Jack shouldn't have let that slip out. He felt so stupid. He should've just said sad; then Bunny wouldn't have asked such a question. But then again, since when Bunny's so attentive to his words? He knew it wasn't the first time he had slipped up in front of him. Why now? Why notice it now? When he was starting to believe that no one would ever notice; no one would ever care.

"Um, nothing. Never mind that. Why are you here?" Jack's weak attempt at changing the subject didn't go unnoticed nor did it work.

"I came to apologize, but Jack, why were you depressed?" Bunny pressed. If his fears were true, Jack was still in clutches of depression and he would try all ways and means to pull him out of it.

"W-well," this was Jack's chance to let it all out, to tell somebody how he felt after being alone for 300 years. Would he take his possibly last chance of a peace of mind? Or would he let it go and suffer in silence like he always did?

'No. Not anymore. I'm tired of being miserable.' Jack thought, clenching his fists.

"Because, I was alone. I was alone for 300 years, Bunny. It wasn't easy, having no one to talk to but the wind; having no one see you; having people walk through you like you're nothing. It hurts." Jack said, baring his soul. He looked at Bunnymund's face for his reaction, but he couldn't read it.

'Hate? Disappointment? Pity? Disgust?' Jack wondered with morbidly, shrinking into himself every passing second as he stared into the rabbit's eyes.

What he didn't expect was what happened next: Bunny pulled Jack into a hug. He wasn't expecting the kindness shown to him at that moment, but he welcomed it. Gladly.

He gripped the Easter Spirit's fur tightly and tears of gratefulness leaked out, soaking his companion's fur.

Bunnymund went to rub Jack's arm to comfort the boy, but Jack flinched and winced in pain. This made Bunny frown with worry, as he knew that depression usually came hand-in-hand with self-harming and/or self-destructive behavior. He sniffed the air around them, now identifying a metallic scent coming from Jack's arm. He looked at Jack's sleeve and saw rusty red stains on the blue fabric. He let his hold on Jack loosen so he could reach his arm and pull up the sleeve.

What he saw had him frozen in shock; there were scars all over his forearm. Some were pink and healing, some were fairly new. Bunny had counted seven that were still oozing blood.

"Oh, Jack." was all Bunny could utter at that moment. Sorrow tugged at his heartstrings. What had Jack gone through, to make him think of cutting as his only reprieve?

"I-I'm sorry." Jack whimpered. He was scared. What if he leaves? What if he hates me now? What if he tells the others? What if I end up alone again? With that last thought, a hysterical sob clawed up his throat. He was absolutely terrified. He didn't want to be alone. Never again.

Jack was broken from his increasingly hysterical thoughts as Bunny pulled him into his chest again, but this time even tighter.

"Oh, Jack. Don't be. We should have been there for you. I should have been there for you. I'm so sorry Jack." Bunny held onto Jack, silently vowing to never leave him alone

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again, another SUPER HUGE thanks to my be-awesome beta: insanepanda! guys, you could not I repeat not! get a better beta and friend than her.


	3. NOT A CHAPTER! just an apology

**hey y'all, I am so so so so so sorry I didn't post a new chapter yesterday. I am having trouble with what I should make happen next, if it should be the end, or if something happens and things take a twist and turn for the worst. but idk what the "worst" would be at this moment. so I will keep working hard on it and post it ASAP. peace out y'all.**

**oh and here's a little somethin' somethin' for waiting.**

**bunny: JACK! what did you do with my carrot cookies?!**

**Jack: what do you mean? I haven't touched those nasty things. **

**bunny: they are not "nasty" mate.**

**jack: are too! **

**bunny: are not!**

**jack: are too! and why do you care so much about them, you could just go make some more.**

**bunny: are not, and its not that easy, well it is-but it took me all morning to make those! **

**Jack: ugh, what if I help you make more. then would you let it drop? **

***bunny thinks out the pros and cons* **

**bunny: ok, but you can only do what I tell you to do. coppice? **

**Jack: sure whatever. **

**bunny: ok then lets go. I still wonder what happened to them though.**

**Jack: I'll use some of my sneaky spy skills later and then let you know.**

**bunny: spy skills? **

**Jack: hey you still don't know everything about me.**

***bunny rolls his eyes* **

**bunny: whatever frostbite. **

**Jack: its true, and when will you stop calling me frostbite?**

**bunny: I'll stop calling you frostbite when you stop calling me a kangaroo.**

**Jack: so, never? **

**bunny: seems so.**

**Jack: sooo we gonna go or what?**

***bunny taps foot twice, opening a hole* **

**bunny: ladies first.**

**Jack: I had the same idea. **

***jack pushes bunny down the hole, then jumps in* **

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**~somewhere in a galaxy long ago~**

**yoda: best, these cookies are. find them where did you?**

**Chewbacca: rraaghrr**

**yoda: bad, you are. but, cookies worth it yes.**

_**THE END. **__**LOL**_


	4. chapter 3- shadows in our midst

**Holy. friggin. crap! this chapter had me spinning! I hope you all like the plot twist, and if you don't well too bad. haha just kidding. **

**I want to thank EVERYONE that favorite, followed, and reviewed this story. it really means a lot to me, and I just love all of you! **

**and a special, wonderful, be-awesome thanks to the best beta ever: ****_insanepanda! _****seriously if it wasn't for her my stories would be poop. anyway...to the story!**

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Jack pinched Bunnymund lightly, after hearing Bunny's startled yelp; he leaned back at the rabbit's chest feeling stunned.

Bunny felt pain, which meant that he wasn't dreaming. This was real. Jack had done it. He had finally told someone everything; and not just anyone. He told Bunnymund. The person he looked up to the most; the pooka that brought hope to the beloved children of the world; the pooka that was a work-a-holic and yet always played along with Jack's sometimes ridiculous games; the pooka that had told him that he was a mistake no more than an hour ago. Who then came back to save him? But he did apologize, right? But then again, he wouldn't have questioned his right as a Guardian if he didn't mean them, right?

Jack's head was spinning from trying to fit pieces of the puzzle together. However, it seems that no matter which how he pushed the pieces together it still doesn't make sense. He was so wrapped up in his inner turmoil; he hadn't realized that he was starting to get lightheaded.

Aster let out an embarrassing yelp when Jack surprised him by pinching him.

"Wha-"

"… not a dream…"

Bunny immediately deflated, and looked at Jack sadly. From his slightly out-of-it look on his face, Bunny could tell that Jack didn't even realize that he had spoken out loud.

Aster knew he needed to get Jack patched up, but...he just couldn't bear to. Jack looked so fragile that he was afraid that if he so much twitched wrong, Jack would fall into pieces.

He shifted slightly so that Jack could be more comfortable. Jack fit in his arms like he belonged there. With his messy hair frozen haphazardly from his impromptu dip in the lake and hands clutched to his fur like a frightened kit, he looked kind of cute.

… Wait a second. Did he just thought Jack was cute!? He wiped the thought away as fast as possible before looking back down at the boy. His face had switched from a look of serenity to one of confusion and frustration.

Bunny stared worriedly at Jack, his eyes looked glazed over and when he let out a groan of discomfort, he immediately stood up with Jack in his arms, bridal style.

He tapped his foot twice and thus opening a tunnel. He hopped in, speeding towards the place he thought best to take care of Jack: the North Pole. It was as he was speeding through his tunnels that he heard Jack whimper and then go limp in his arms.

Aster became distracted by Jack's state of unconsciousness, which does not bode well for either of them, since his magic tunnels were made through his steady concentration of his destination.

That being said, his lapse of concentration caused them to be chucked out unceremoniously into a dark forest.

Bunnymund grumbled at his amateur mistake as he stood up from a pile of leaves in his tunnels hurled him face-first to. He shook out some dark colored dirt from his fur and hopped over to Jack where he was sprawled over a rather big tree root.

Looking at Jack, his face was pink and he was sweating profusely although the chill of the forest had cooled him down a bit. Bunny knew that Jack was usually as cold as an iceberg but in his paws he could feel that Jack was about the same temperature as him!

Bunny tapped the ground again and with a singled minded focus sped through the tunnels faster than he ever had before. He popped out in North's infirmary and wasn't surprised that no one was there. Since North's yetis and elves have advanced healing abilities, and the rest of the Guardians rarely get hurt, the infirmary was just for show.

But it was lucky that North usually kept the 'just-for-show' infirmary well-stocked, because Bunny was able to find everything he needed. He cleaned up Jack's wounds, gave stitches to those that were too deep and made a few trips via his tunnels to get a nice thick blanket of snow to cover Jack.

By the time he was done, it was rather late and he wanted to ask North to let him use one of his guest rooms. He was outside the door when he heard voices. Curiosity piqued, since North rarely had guests other than Bunny and Jack since Sandy and Tooth were both usually very busy, Aster pushed opened the door only to see Pitch Black.

Bunny froze for a millisecond before snarling and whipping out his boomerangs.

"Ya bloody wombat. I oughta-"

"Bunny!" North's thunderous voice boomed. "No fighting! Kozmotis is friend!"

"Wha? Are ya outta ya bloomin' mind!?" Bunny's increasing franticness caused his accent to grow thicker. He couldn't think of anything other than that Jack was defenseless, and he wasn't going to let Pitch get near him. No, he won't. If he even steps a foot towards him, he'd rip his thro-

"BUNNYMUND!" North roared again, snapping Bunny out from his surprisingly dark and morbid thoughts.

"Kozmotis is a friend. He had just rid himself of the dark Fearlings that made Kozmotis Pitchiner, Pitch Black."

Indeed, when Aster looked carefully at Pitch, he could see that Pitch had lost the shadowy robes and was in some sort of military uniform, and shadows no longer seem to cling to him. Rather, it looked like he repelled all shadows other than his own.

"I came to apologize about all the troubles I had caused." Pitch's crisp voice cut through his thoughts. Bunny glared at him, he still couldn't trust him. Unlike North, he didn't have a 'feeling-in-the-belly' intuition to tell him whether to trust Pitchiner or not.

"I'll be keepin' both eyes on you." Bunny warned.

"Yes, yes. Good to see you are getting along." North said cheerfully, slapping their back hard causing them to lose their breath.

"Because Kozmotis is going to be a Guardian!"

"What?!" "I'm sorry?!" Bunnymund and Pitch let out exclamations of surprise and utter shock.

"Manny just informed me of a new Guardian. Vas going to call all Guardians when Kozmotis here knocked on me front door!"

"Ya gotta be pullin' my leg, mate." Bunny said with an incredulous look on his face.

"No, no pulling of legs here." North said with a grin.

"But- how- wha-?"

"What trouble has arisen? M.I.M won't simply make a new Guardian unless there was something threatening the safety of the world's children." Pitch interrupted the spluttering Pooka.

"No need to be so formal, Kozmotis!" North laughed before turning serious. "But indeed, a great evil haz arisen to harm ze children."

Bunny turned serious. He was very protective of his lil' ankle-biters. If anyone dare touch any of them, he would tear them limb-by-limb and make them regret ever harming a single hair from their heads.

Bunny's eyes widened in surprise by his dark thoughts. He shook his head as if to rid himself of the vicious thoughts.

"You are plagued by Shadows." Pitch stated, staring at Aster. "I can see it as clear as day. It's very recent. The Shadows have yet to cling to your essence and develop into Fearlings."

"What utter rubbish!" Bunnymund growled, feeling uncharacteristically angry. "Get away from me ya wanker!" He waved his boomerangs threateningly.

Pitch remained calm despite having a boomerang wave at his face.

"It's the Shadows talking. Relax. I'm doing nothing threatening to you."

Aster flinched back, surprised. Why was he angry? Pitch was doing nothing…

During his state of confusion, Pitch took advantage of it and slashed a beam of light through Bunny. At least he would, if Bunny hadn't dodged it at the very last second.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you." Bunny snarled as he hurled his boomerangs at Pitch. Who in turn, dissolved into light and appeared behind Bunny, only to be met with a kick in the face by the rabbit.

"Up to your same old tricks, ya sly sneak!" Bunny shouted as he punched and kicked, and sent Pitch sailing to the other end of the office, causing him to smash against a bookshelf and books to topple on him.

Usually, that would be enough for Bunnymund. Knowing that he had defeated his foe. But instead all he could hear in his mind was: 'Killlll himmmm…' 'He'll harm allll of your friendssss…' 'Killlll himmm before he killsss you!'

Growling he pounced on the unconscious Pitch, only to realize that the unconscious Pitch was not so unconscious after all.

Bright light was all he could see before he felt pain. He felt something so cold it burns. He felt it slithering out of his body and wherever it was, it left a trail of burning cold. What had been a mere minute felt like an hour to Bunny, and when he felt all the slimy coldness finally left him. He opened his eyes to see a shapeless, formless dark creature in front of him.

Pitch was fighting it with a sword. With every slash, a trail of light was left behind. With every jab, a burst of light was made. In no time, the large Shadow was dissolved into light.

Aster was still sitting on the ground stunned. That creature was inside of him. He couldn't believe it.

"If you thought that was bad, you should have tried having thousands of full grown Shadows, a.k.a. Fearlings in your body." Pitch said drily.

Bunny was surprised that he spoke out loud. Before a random though appeared in his head. He turned to North who was simply sitting at his table drinking eggnog.

"Why didn't ya do somethin'?" Bunny confronted him.

"Well, Shadows are Kozmotis' area of expertise. So, I believed it vas vise to leave it to him!" North smiled.

"Enough vith ze chatter. Ve have to call ze other Guardians!"

North stood up from his seat and Aster stood up with shaky legs, still feeling the after effects of the bone chilling removal of the Shadows in his body.

"I believe that there is an even more pressing issue at hand." Pitch said silkily.

"And vhat iz zhat?"

"Well, because it seems that Bunnymund over here, just brought back some Fearlings on his way here."

"What do ya mean? You destroyed those buggers from me didn't ya?" Aster frowned.

Pitch rolled his eyes. "Yes, I did. I meant the other person that came with you."

"What other person? The only one I brought here is Ja…" Bunny trailed off with a look of dawning realization on his face.

"Yes." Pitch said lightly, "it seems that Jack has been harboring some Fearlings within him for some time."

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_**wellllll, **_**what did you think? please leave a review, even ghost readers are welcome.**

**now I just want to thank my beta, ****_insanepanda, _****again. she is not just an awesome beta but a really awesome friend as well. **


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